Of course, no matter how much we said we were going to just talk sports, the conversation always made its way back to women.
“So, even though you screwed up royally, you still managed to get back in to Shelly’s pants … again,” TJ said with a grin. “I swear, you’re the luckiest son of a bitch I know.”
“Shut the fuck up, TJ,” I replied with a scowl.
“I can’t believe you were such an asshole.” This came from my little brother, who drank from his beer and looked at me, his face full of anger.
I’d finally told him what was going on with me and Shelly, and he’d been just as pissed off as I’d thought he’d be. He’d loved Shelly from the moment I brought her home, and I knew he’d hate me for betraying her the way I did. When it came down to a choice between me and Shelly, I had a feeling my brother would pick Shelly every time. Especially, when the issue was one hundred percent my fault.
“Give him a break, Craig,” Scott said, coming to my defense. Whereas my own brother would side with my wife, I knew Scott would defend me no matter what. “He told you how the shit went down. He didn’t set out to hurt Shelly and fuck up his marriage, it was all a horrible mistake. He’s been paying the price for the past seven weeks, and he’s trying his best to make it up to her. He doesn’t need your shit, so either put your man pants on, or put down that beer and I’ll get you a glass of milk.”
Craig blinked a few times, shocked at Scott’s heated defense of me and the situation, because although we’d been living through this for the past few weeks, he’d only just learned about it today. I felt sorry for my brother. He was young and quick to judge, but I knew he was only reacting out of love for my wife. I couldn’t blame him for that.
“It’s alright, bro,” I said to Scott. “I get where he’s coming from.”
“Are we gonna play cards or what?” TJ asked, trying to break the tension. “If you want to talk about pussy, I can tell you all a tale about a couple of besties I met at the bar the other night ... Talk about a wild night.”
TJ chuckled at the look of shock on Craig’s face, and I had to laugh at my friend. He sure knew how to change the subject and keep people on their toes.
“You’re an idiot,” Scott said with a grimace as he shuffled the cards. “You’re gonna end up with every disease in the book.”
“I’d rather have my dick fall off than be led around the balls by some chick,” TJ countered.
Scott shook his head and said, “About that … I’ve been having doubts.”
“Doubts?” I asked, sharing a look with TJ before focusing back on Scott. “About Victoria?”
“Yeah,” Scott said, putting the cards back on the table. He ran his hand over his face, before turning his bleak eyes on me. “I don’t know if I can do it … Marry her.”
I tried to keep my voice calm and not express the exhilaration I felt at his words. I’d been waiting for him to realize what a fucking nightmare Victoria was since I met her. When he’d asked her to marry him, I’d thought all hope was lost.
“Did something happen?”
“Not anything specific, it’s just … everything. I don’t know if I can live with her for the rest of my life. I don’t know if I’m in love with her anymore.” Scott looked conflicted, and as much as I hated to think of him hurting now, I knew he would be miserable in the long run if he married her. “She’s been kind of crazy since we started this whole wedding thing, and I’ve been starting to think … Maybe I don’t ever want to get married. I like my place. I like my job. I like making decisions based on what I want, and not having to worry about anyone else’s feelings.”
“I hear that,” TJ said as he took a pull of his beer.
“Being married is great, Scott, if you marry the right woman,” I said, not wanting him to give up on marriage, but not trying to talk him into marrying Victoria either. “But I do agree that marriage to Victoria would be a mistake … for you. I want you to be happy, and I don’t think she’s the woman to do it.”
Scott hung his head in his hands and said, “Not all women are like Shelly, Cal … You’re the luckiest fucker on the planet. And to share what the two of you have … that’s very rare. I don’t think I’ll ever find someone like that, and I know that I’ll never have that with Victoria. She’s too much like my mother.”
“It’s about time you fucking realized that,” TJ said. “I didn’t think you were ever going to see it. I seriously didn’t know if I could even come to your wedding. I love you too much to see you tied down to a bitch like that.”
Scott looked between TJ and me, while Craig just took everything in silently.
“How long have you both felt this way?” He asked.
“Since you introduced us to her,” I admitted.
TJ nodded in concurrence.
“Why the fuck didn’t you ever say anything?” Scott asked. “I mean, I knew you all didn’t necessarily get along like we do with the girls, but I figured that’s just because you didn’t know her well enough.”
“I think we knew her well enough to see that she wasn’t a good fit for you, and that you would end up in a marriage like your parents’,” I replied. “We didn’t say anything because you loved her. You proposed to her. If we tried to talk you out of it, or told you how we really felt about her, we worried that you would chose her … That we’d lose you.”
I felt like such a girl saying that out loud, but it was true. I’d rather live the rest of my life with Victoria in it than without Scott, and I knew TJ felt the same way.
“We love you, bro, and we just want you to be happy. We’ll support you no matter what,” TJ added.